The present invention generally pertains to plungers and is particularly directed to sealing a plunger cup about an opening of clogged plumbing. In the context of this application “about” is defined as “all around”.
A plunger is an apparatus that is used for releasing stoppages in plumbing, such as a clogged drain from a toilet bowl or a sink. A plunger is sometimes referred to as a “plumber's helper”. A plunger includes a cup of a flexible material, such as rubber, and a stick that is attached to the base of the cup for maneuvering the cup.
The cup of a sink plunger has a flat rim that is circular for sealing an opening of a drain from a sink. The opening of a clogged sink drain is sealed by maneuvering the stick of the plunger to push the cup down against the surface of the sink about the drain. When the cup is then pulled away from the clogged drain, a vacuum is created in the drain and the vacuum causes whatever is clogging the drain to loosen or break up, whereby the stoppage is usually released after one or more efforts with the plunger. A sink plunger is also used for releasing stoppages in a clogged drain from a toilet bowl, bathtub, shower, or the like in the same manner that it is used for releasing stoppages in a clogged drain from a sink.
The cup of a toilet bowl plunger includes a circular rim and a flange that extends from the rim and is configured to fit within an opening of a drain from a toilet bowl for sealing the opening. The opening of a clogged toilet bowl drain is sealed by maneuvering the stick of the toilet bowl plunger to push the flange of the cup down against the surface of the opening of the drain. When the cup is then pulled away from the clogged drain, a vacuum is created in the drain and the vacuum causes whatever is clogging the drain to loosen or break up, whereby the stoppage is usually released after one or more efforts with the plunger. A toilet bowl plunger is also used for releasing stoppages in a clogged drain from a sink, bathtub, shower, or the like (fixture) by flipping up the flange to be above the rim so that the opening of the clogged drain can be sealed by maneuvering the stick of the plunger to push the cup down against the surface of the fixture about the drain.
The above-described plunger cups are not always useful for releasing stoppages in a clogged drain having a noncircular opening.